Sap-directing spout.



C. L. KRAGER. SAP DIREGTING SPOUT. APPLICATION FILED s211121, 1911.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. KRAGR, OF DAISY', TENNESSEE, ASSIGNO-R TO l-IERTY TURPENTINECO.,

OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, A CORPORATION OF FLORIDA.

SAP-DIRECTING SPOUT.

To all whom it may concern Be it lrnown that I, CHARLES L. Knaorn, acitizen of the United States, residing at Daisy, in the county ofHamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and usefulSap-Directin T Spout, of which the following is a speci cation.

The present invention relates to improvements in sap directing spouts,the particular spout being adapted for use in the obtaining ofturpentine, although it is obvious that it may be used for obtainingmaple syrup and rubber gum; and the primary object of the invention isthe provision of an adjustable sectional apron and spout, whereby anydiameter of tree may be operated upon.

To carry this invention into practice, a combined apron and spout madein two sections, each of which is provided with a tree engaging rearedge, to be inserted in the y usual angular incision inthe trunk of thetree is provided, each of said sections, being further provided with alip or flange upon its forward edge and with a broad and rounded innerterminal. Vlien assembled, these terminals of the two sections overlapto produce a central spout, to which the lips or flanges converge todeliver the sap or turpentine, said terminals not being connectedotherwise together, but providinga means whereby various diaineteredtrees may be oper, ted upon with a single size of adjustable apron andspout, the angle of the sections with relation to each other beingchanged with the overlapping. spout forming terminals, as the central orpivot point.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a rim uponthe forward edge of each of the respective tree engaging and sapdirecting members that constitutes a. means for directing the sap towardthe outlet end of the members, and also constitutes a handle or grippingmeans whereby the member may be properly manipulated when insertedwithin the cut of the tree or withdrawn therefrom.

l/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made withinSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 1, 1911. Serial No. 647,269.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus asapplied to a small diametered tree. Fig. 2 is asimilar view as appliedto a larger diametered tree, illustra-ting the applicability of theapron and spout to both sizes of tree'trunk. Fig. 3 is a detail view ofthe apron and spout in elevation, dotted lines illustrating the variouspossible adjustments thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the tree trunk,which to put the present invention into practice is cut' as indicated at2, with the obtuse V-shaped bark shaving, and further with the twoupwardly inclined V-shaped incisions 3.

Adapted to be driven or otherwise pushed within the respective incisions3, is a section ll, of the adjustable combined turpentine conveyingapron and spout S, each section of which is provided with the rear edge6, for insertion in the said incision 3, the forward edge thereof,beingprovided with the upturned lip or iiange 7, which tapers from itsinner end 8, to its upper and outer end 9, where the same is rounded andslightly bent inwardly toward the body of the main body of the section.By this means ,the main body of the sect-ions as viewed in "Fig 3 issmaller' lat its outer end than at its other end, which other end asshown is made curved or rounded at 10, and inclining rearwardly as at11, toward the rear edge of the section, the same providing a portion ofthe central spout S, of the device, which when the sections areassembled as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, overlap and by reason of thefact that said sections may be turned, with the overlapped portion as a.sort of pivot, the lips or flanges will at all times provide a guidingwall upon opposite sides of the spout S, so that the sap flowing fromthe incision 3, will flow upon the main body of each sect-ion, and beguided by the said lips or flanges to the spout S, into the sap cut 12.It will thus be seen that the respective sections 4 in plan, eachsimulates a truncated triangle, the base of which is provided with acurved angle and with an obtuse angle, the curved angle being at thefront edge while the obtuse angle is at the rear edge. By reason of thispeculiar shaping of the base, the respective overlapping portions of thetwo co-acting members when in the position` as shown in Fig. 3, will notseparate so as to provide a space between the adjacent ends that wouldtend to permit the sap to fall down *ardly or leak upon t-he adjacentface or the tree nor do any portions oit' the plate project beyond theouter race or the adjacent member, thus providing a spout of the highestefliciency tor directing the sap into the cup and permitting the use ofthe two sections upon various diametered trees without in any way`destroying the directing effect of the spout.

lin putting the invention into use, as above described and as shown thesections are insei-ted into the incisions 8 or the tree, the adjustmentor separable sections permitting them to be used upon various diameteredtrees, and directly below `the spout S, in a convenient distancetherefrom, is driven a hard wood peg 13, which is provided with thesquared body portion and head 14, over which removably lits, the squareaperture 15, of the earthen sap cup l2. j

By providing the rearwardly inclined edge ll, the spout may be turned toassume the various full and dotted line positionsvin Fig. 3, andrnotproduce vany objectionable recess or outlet otherwise than the outlet between the shoulders 8 of the vsections 4t, the two ends of the`respective sections being,y overlapped to permit of the rotation ot thesections relative to eachother yto assume the positions and thusaccommodate the sections to various diametered trees, and not render itnecessary to form sections in varying lengths and widths fas is theusual practice.

The most important feature ot the invention, however, resides in theadjustable sectional combined apron and spout, which being made in onlyone size, can be made to iit any diameter of tree, `and properly conveythe turpentine to the sap cup.

In assembling t-he present spout, the proper incisions for the receptionor the edge G oi" the two sections 4L are made, so

that when the rear edge is inserted therein7 the coneaved portions oteach member are loosely overlapped to form a spout and as the forwardedge of such portion of the sections is curved, the spout is readilyadapted for use in connection with various diametered trees as themembers may be spread fan-like relatively to each other, the lip orflange I being used to assist in placing the member in the incision andin adjusting the members so that the coneaved portions overlap.

lVhat is claimed, is

A sap collecting apron or spout, composed of two similar shaped metallicmembers, the main body of each of which is substantially a truncatedtriangular plate, the rear edge of which is the tree engaging edge, theshort edge of each plate being curved at one corner and coneavedtransversely while the other corner is formed at an obtuse angle to thereark edge, there being provided a rim upon the forward edge extendingfrom a point near the apex to a point adjacent the curved edge, saidplates when assembled having their concaved portions loosely overlappedto form a sap directing spout between the Vends of the rims, and topermit the plates 'to be spread fan-like to accommodate variousdiametered trees, and each rim also constituting a gripping meanswhereby the member may be forcibly inserted in or withdrawn from a cutin a tree.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto affixedmy signature in the presencel ory two witnesses.

` j CHARLES L. KRAGER. lVitnesses:

FRANK B. Gorrsnunm'rnn, I. E. SIMPSON.

Copies oi' this patent may be obtained `for iiye cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

